This invention relates to an evaporator unit particularly suited for use in a small bus or the like and, in particular, to a compact ceiling mounted evaporator unit for efficiently cooling the passenger compartment of a small bus.
Small buses, shuttle buses, or mini-buses are finding widespread use because they are a convenient way to transport small groups of people from place to place that would be uneconomical to transport in a large vehicle. Many of the present day air conditioning units that are available for use in buses involve relatively complex systems utilizing a number of evaporators that are spaced apart along the length of the passenger compartment. Each evaporator is arranged to circulate a band of air across the width of the bus. The evaporator units are typically suspended directly over the head of passengers seated along one side of the bus or other congested areas such as door areas and the like, leaving little room for passengers to move about and they also prevent the installation of overhead baggage racks in these locations. Carrying condensate away from these side mounted units has also presented problems and the units oftentimes sweat or leak over the passenger seats causing unwanted passenger discomfort and damage.
In other bus applications which employ a single evaporator, the bus must generally be considerably modified to house the evaporator heat exchanger and the air handling equipment associated therewith. The cooled air from the evaporator in many cases must be ducted over some distance before it is discharged thereby increasing the cost of the unit while lowering the efficiency of the system. Ducting of the comfort air can also, under certain conditions, produce uneven cooling within the passenger compartment.